Kristian Phillips shows his disappointment at the last-gasp defeat to Munster.

21 December 2013, 09:52 pm ::

By Graeme Gillespie

Scarlets hopes dashed in late drama

Munster increased their lead at the top of the RaboDirect Pro 12 with a smash and grab raid which robbed the Scarlets of victory at Musgrave Park.

The Scarlets were clinging on to a slender 9-10 lead with just 13 men on the field after prop Rob Evans and replacement winger Mike Poole received yellow cards from referee Nigel Owens.

Simon Easterby's side were left to batten down the hatches for the last three minutes of a tense encounter. The Scarlets managed to do that but with the home side grabbing possession in the dying seconds, the visitors had to withstand a tidal wave of red shirts as they went for the jugular in added on time.

Ultimately the Scarlets ran out of time and numbers when in the third minute of extra time, fly half JJ Hanrahan's cross field kick bounced perfectly into Ronan O'Mahony's hands and he dived over unopposed wide out where Poole would have been situated.

Munster's Dave Kilcoyne had appeared to knock on in the ruck before Hanrahan's crosskick had allowed O'Mahony to touch down but the Scarlets hopes of victory were dashed when the officials allowed the try to stand.

The Scarlets, who had made nine changes to the side which lost last time out to Clermont Auvergne stood toe to toe with the table toppers and were 3-3 level at the break after Aled Thomas and Hanrahan had traded first half penalties.

The Scarlets began the second half with a bang. Wing Kristian Phillips and Rob McCusker made ground before Thomas sidestepped his way through the last line of defence before off-loading a try scoring pass to supporting flanker John Barclay who scored under the posts.

Thomas's conversion put the Scarlets 3-10 ahead and despite Hanrahan landing two more penalties it was a lead the Scarlets held until the last move of the match before the dramatic conclusion.